For the past week and a half, we have been installing The Greater Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere at NGV Studio. GACPS is a collaboration between Perth-based artists Abdul Abdullah, Casey Ayres and Nathan Beard, and is presented as part of the 2012 Next Wave Festival.

Capitalising on their Asian-Australian heritages, the artists have created an embassy for a fictional pan-Asian empire. Since the Ambassadors officially introduced themselves (while fashioning beautifully tailored gold suits) to NGV Studio visitors on Thu 17 May, the Oriental embassy has been the setting for a cultural program of live events, where various Eastern and Western influences have been brought together and confused. As Ambassadors for this faux-embassy, Abdul, Casey and Nathan have joined visitors to NGV Studio in investigating how multiculturalism operates in contemporary Australian society.

The first major event was the Ambassadors’ Opening Blessing, which took place on Sat 19 May – and the festivities will continue until Sun 25 May. Please look at the 2012 Next Wave Festival program for a full run-down of events.

On behalf of the Ambassadors and NGV Studio, we invite you to join us over the next week to visit our faux-embassy and reflect on questions raised about how multiculturalism operates in contemporary Australian society.

Ps. Please click through to the NGV Studio Exhibition page to see installation shots of the Embassy. And Ambassadors sans gold suits!

For more Embassy images and insights, follow the Ambassadors on twitter:

@officialgacps

#gacps

#ngvstudio

#NWF12

The Greater Asia Co-Prosperity closes 27 May